The present invention pertains to straining paint, or other liquids, within a container that is used for treating or finishing a surface. More particulary, the invention pertains to a disposable paint strainer.
When applying paint, varnish, stain or some other type of liquid to a surface, it is important to ensure that the paint contains no contaminates, impurities, lumps, or other undesirable elements. Even after proper mixing of the paint these undesirable elements may exist. These undesirable elements prevent proper application of the liquid to the surface and result in blemishes, inconsistent shading or coloring, and other defects. Additionally, excess paint on the brush or applicator makes even application of the paint onto the surface more difficult. It also results in the paint dripping or running along the surface and detracting from the appearance of the finished product as well as increasing the amount of clean up.
To ensure the paint is free of these undesirable elements, one technique is to pour the paint from one container through a strainer and into another container. This technique or type of strainer is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,368,728; 5,059,319; 4,853,176; 4,804,470; 4,622,146; 4,362,624; 4,294,701; 4,290,888; 4,105,564; 4,025,435; and Des. 367,804. This technique increases the risk of spilling the paint, which requires additional clean-up and wastes the spilt paint. Additionally, unless all of the paint is used during an application, any leftover strained paint will have to be returned to the resealable paint can from the strained paint container for storage purposes. This further requires that the user ensure that the resealable paint can is properly maintained during use to prevent contaminants or dry paint from accumulating therein and farther contaminating the paint once it is returned to the paint can.
Contaminants may also enter the container of strained paint during use requiring the user to again pass the paint through the strainer to remove the undesirable elements from the paint. This effectively requires the user to start over and increases the amount of clean up and the risk of spilt paint. This technique also does not allow for controlling the amount of paint being placed on the applicator or brush when it is dipped into the container to avoid excessive paint on the applicator.
A second technique overcomes the shortcoming of having to use multiple containers to strain the paint and is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,066,557. One manner of this technique secures a strainer within the paint can by a suspension device. Another manner utilizes multiple strainers that are passed through the paint within the container.
The first manner of attaching and suspending the paint strainer in the paint can requires that the strainer or suspension system be sized to fit a specific size of paint can. The suspension system for the strainer must also be capable of adjustment as the amount of paint in the can decreases. Thus, the user has to constantly set up and adjust the suspension system for and during each use.
The second manner of straining paint in a single container uses a strainer which is placed into the container, or paint can, and then pushed to the bottom of the container. The contaminants or impurities are trapped beneath the strainer as it is pushed to the bottom of the paint can. This manner of straining paint requires the strainer to be flexible to fit within the inner diameter of the opening in the paint can, yet be able to expand outward to the inner diameter of the can, which generally has a larger diameter, once inside. The strainer must also have sufficient rigidity so as not to collapse when pushed to the bottom of the can. This technique requires multiple strainers to be used and ultimately placed at the bottom of the can each time the paint within the can is being used.
Multiple strainers at the bottom of the paint creates the possibility that the material used to make the strainer could either break down or react with the paint causing contamination of the paint. Strainers left at the bottom of the paint can wastes paint and creates a greater burden in disposal of the paint can due to trapping paint beneath the stainers which must be dried and hardened prior to disposal. Further, this technique does not limit the amount of paint received on the applicator or brush when it is dipped into the paint can.
Thus, there is no disposable paint strainer which independently floats atop the paint surface to create a reservoir of strained paint and which also limits the amount of paint provided to the applicator.